Oracle's Charles Phillips admits affair with billboard woman

The president of software maker Oracle is admitting he had an affair with a woman he was shown snuggling with on billboards in New York, Atlanta and San Francisco.

Charles Phillips released a statement Thursday to several news outlets about his relationship with YaVaughnie Wilkins after blogs went abuzz over the mysterious billboards.

The statement says he had an “8 1/2 year serious relationship” with Wilkins. He says his divorce proceedings began in 2008, and the relationship with Wilkins has ended.

Wilkins did not respond to calls for comment, and no one has come forward taking credit for the billboards, which were taken down by Friday.

Phillips is a co-president of Oracle Corp. According to the company’s Web site, he was appointed last year to President Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board.